If a salesperson or others ask for your personal information
such as, driver’s license or social security number, ask them why that
is necessary.

In most cases, there is no reason for them to have access to this information and who gets access to it.

Don’t be quick to give out your personal information, as this could set you up to be a victim of identity theft.

Never leave you credit card, ATM card or gas station receipts behind.

Always make sure you take them with you. It is much safer to
take them home and destroy them rather than leave them for a criminal to
find.

My family and I have also learned to hit the Clear button after pumping gas.

This protects your card information and wipes it clean so it can’t be stolen from a person that works in the station.

For quite some time this was a very popular way to scam people and steal their identity. Don't let this happen to you.

Always keep your credit card/debit card within your
sight and make sure when you are swiping the credit card in any store
that you keep your hand around the buttons when punching in your PIN
numbers.

This is one of the best habits you can practice on how to stop identity theft.

There is also a scam called skimming which started in gas stations around the country.

This scam has been gaining strength and speed in the California area in particular.

The amount of victims is extreme and climbing.

Suspects rigged
ATM cared readers at gas station pumps throughout the area to steal PIN
and card numbers by using their own cameras.

Five victims have been identified at this time, and the number is
expected to grow in alarming numbers before this is all said and done.

Make sure you take your name off the “dreaded”, and annoying telemarketers list.

I took my name off the stop junk mail list (the opt-out list) and the do not call list, and this made a huge difference in the reduction in telemarketer calls and credit card solicitations I have received.

Always make sure your mail is secure. Don’t leave your bills or anything with personal information in the box to be stolen.

If you have bills to pay, take them to the Post Office.

Thieves have taken to stealing mail from residential,
apartment complexes and any other easily accessed source for the primary
reason of stealing a person’s identity.

If a thief acquires access to checks, he can do what’s called “white washing”.

This is a solvent that erases the payees name so the thief can fill in any name he wants.

One of the most important How To Stop Identity Theft tips is to make a habit of always monitoring your credit report.

Go to Annualcreditreport.com at least once a year or call
1-877-322-8228 to check your credit reports and keep track of any
suspicious activity.

If you find any irregularities, make sure you call your creditor or Credit Card Company immediately.

Experian does have a service called credit check, which alerts you to any changes that take place on your credit report.

One other step in preventing identity theft is to make sure you consistently review your credit card statements every month.

Check to make sure the location, merchant and purchases listed is something you recognize Before you pay your bill.